J D Power, Skelmore sign research deal in ME

UAE Business

J D Power, a leading provider of customer satisfaction research, has signed a letter of intent with Skelmore Consulting Group, a Dubai-based management consulting firm, to support the acceleration of growth and business opportunities for companies in the territory of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and in other markets in the Middle East.

The firms initial plans are launch solutions and quality metrics for the auto industry in the GCC, said a statement.

They are are exploring customised automotive solutions using J D Power's extensive knowledge of measuring customer feedback and Skelmore's local relationships and understanding of the GCC markets, it said.

Both companies are also evaluating the possibility of extending their collaborative efforts to include non-automotive sectors.

Gerrit Kuyntjes, vice president and general manager, J D Power-Singapore, said: "The consumer marketplace has grown at such an exceptional rate in the Middle East.

"As a wide range of industries--from automotive to banking and insurance to hospitality--continue to mature in the region, it will be critical that executives are armed with reliable benchmarks and prescient data points that can help them improve the quality of their products and services."

Amin Kadrie, chairman and chief executive officer, Skelmore, said: "We are very proud to have an opportunity to be associated with a company so widely recognised and respected in the automotive industry as J D Power.

"Coupled with Skelmore's experience in the region and backed by a team of consulting experts, we believe that we can bring something exciting and game-changing to the GCC's automotive industry." - TradeArabia News Service